Iranians begin voting in parliamentary election: state TV

Supreme Leader Khamenei urges Iranian's to vote, says it is a religious duty

DUBAI: Iranians began voting on Friday in a parliamentary election that is unlikely to change the Islamic Republic’s troubled relations with the United States, after thousands of candidates were barred from the field in favour of hardliners.

State television said polling started at 0430 GMT. Voting is set to run for 10 hours, with about 58 million Iranians eligible to vote for the representatives in the 290-member parliament.

Iran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the first to cast his vote.

“I am urging Iranians to vote early.”

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With Iran facing growing isolation on the global stage and discontent at home over economic hardships, analysts have said the turnout will amount to a referendum on the leaders’ handling of political and economic crises.

'A religious duty'

Casting a vote in Iran’s parliamentary election is “a religious duty”, the country’s top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated on Friday after voting in Tehran, broadcast live on state TV.

“Voting is a religious duty ... which will also guarantee the national interests of Iran ... I am urging Iranians to vote early,” Khamenei said.